The thing.
Hello and welcome to this edition of want to wander with wonder account executive
Eichler get on Lord over jelly and thank you for joining us Mr Leggett Welcome back
thank you we are again some tape
a second taping of twenty thirteen and it's been very busy in Montgomery County
specially recently addressed almost seven hundred county residents in your state of
the county speech and it was approximately forty minutes long so can you give us
a short synopsis to get us started well first of all is to acknowledge in my
opinion and I think for any objective analysis of this that the county
comparatively is in much much better position in our state as it related to the
State of the county is very good compared specially consider the challenge that
we've had in the past the things that we've done in the county to sort of correct
those and where we see the County heading into forseeable future so in summary the
overall state of the care of the state of the county I think is very good you
didn't mention that during the last six years of your tenure ask county executive
you of whether the county house whether almost
a perfect economic storm Yes but what does that mean well it means
a number of things first of all we found some very difficult challenges even before
the national recession missed that is that we were really has been far too much in
the budgets are proud of my arrival were simply unsustainable and if you look at
the four years prior to my arrival the last four years the previous administration
the county budget is Coumadin only had increased by forty two percent that's an
unsustainable number then if you look at the next four years the same budget tax
supported budget for four years increase by zero that's
a huge turnaround that was made possible by
a number of things very tough decision for example we eliminated. Prosper ten
percent of our entire workforce we reduced contributions to the parties held in
pension contributions limited colas and Prilosec furloughed county employees were
a number of years is an awful lot of tough things that we've done we reduce
programs and services literally across the board now we see that those decisions
are beginning to pay our we see that our employment rate is going up unemployment
has gone down we see that our taxes are coming up again we see that more and more
constructions are happening in the county and when you look at all of the
indicators about accounting you measure them in an objective way you see
significant improvements but to get there was not easy I used the term shared
sacrifice meaning that the county employees gave up an awful lot meaning that they
had to work harder with fewer people and earn less money in Maine that the county
residents had to sacrifice they paid
a little bit more in taxes and revenues and they all indications got
a little bit less in service and I am willing to admit that we provided
a little less and service and you paid
a little bit more but those are the kinds of tough decisions and the ANA supports
to the budget that I want people to be engaged in so that understand and respect
that even though people may disagree with some aspects of the budget in the process
that we've taken of the last five or six years now you did mention six goals and
three new initiatives that you did and our. State of the county address. About the
goals thriving economy trained and skilled workforce and Montgomery County
affordable home ownership efficient transportation healthy communities and better
government how it's possible to to all of that in the next few years remarkably go
back and look at. Each one of those areas you see significant improvement already
there's one area of course that I indicated that we have not fared as well and that
is transportation we have
a real real concern and that concern really engulf the entire state of Maryland
many years ago I advocated for an increase in the state's gasoline tax and the
reason why I indicated that was because
a we had enormous competition from Virginia and the ability to move forward to
resolve their transportation challenges I thought that the transportation States
transportation trust fund would go broke I believe that it would hamper our ability
to provide the kind of economic development at the local level and if we did not
act sooner then those very same projects would cost much more later on well guess
what after five or six years after fighting through all of that everything that I
predicted has in fact happened we're doing our part here in Montgomery County but
unfortunately we have little help and support from the state to resolve these major
transportation challenges when I say that when I talk about I'm talking about the
red of the purple line here between but there's
a New Carrollton I'm talking about the cost of the transit way there will coalesce
to seventy and talk about bus rapid transit in the county Those are three areas
that we've must must provide some fast relief if we're not able to do that it will
hamper the county long term in terms of our ability to provide the kind of traffic
rich Anges that we need in order for many of those development projects to go
forward we have three major development projects in the county that I think will be
harp about that in white threat. In the science Cordy in the Gators were Germantown
area and in the White Oak area if we're not able to go forward why the
transportation really those three areas will suffer right now they are planned to
create somewhere in the neighborhood collectively. About one hundred thousand high
paying jobs and we simply cannot afford not to be advanced I was talking about
transportation since way translation into that topic recently you testified and
Apple is obviously in support of the state gas tax increase we spoke with
spoken to with the lieutenant governor who was present at your state of the county
address and it sounds like it's going to be quite
a challenge in Annapolis What do you think about well it's always
a challenge it wasn't popular when I first mentioned it five years ago it is not
popular now but at some point you have to do the courageous thing you have to do
the right thing and it is time for us to step forward set politics aside and do
what is right for the entire state of Maryland we cannot continue to kick the can
down the road and we cannot bury our head in the sand and presume that these
problems will go away if we don't do it now we will eventually do it in my opinion
the question is we waited too long it cost too much more in order to do it but at
some point we will do it you might as well do it now OK we're going to take
a short break right now and we'll be back with Montgomery County executive I get
who is talking about the state of this county will be right back.
If it wasn't for his doctor he whatever be here if it weren't for McGovern County
Fire and Rescue he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the phone call we wouldn't
have been there if I didn't call I don't know where we would be bug armory county
emergency responders are there when you need help at no cost to you in an emergency
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a week. You're. Welcome
back to. My county executive I really thank you for joining us and we're talking
about the state of the county to deliver that speech recently let's talk about the
initiatives that you did launch on that specific day Montgomery is open for
business what is that. Well I have said the government is open to business and we
are open for business recognition that business is important in Montgomery County
sustainable growth is important and we counted on the land the word sustainable
that is the grow where we have the adequate transportation we have the
environmental concerns that have been provided and that it provides to jobs and
resources as
a county that helps the entire county now one of the challenges we have going
county is that the development process in this county I think is too complicated is
fragmented and way way too expensive we're doing things now that I think that we
can do much better one of the areas that we've looked at over the last few years
and last year at least is to develop the recommendation of about sixty different
changes that we've already started to make those changes when fully implemented
will reduce the development process and construction by almost one year that's
a huge reduction and what does that mean. When you have the type of production it
means their projects proves it means their jobs come faster and means that the tax
base grows faster because you don't have to carry constructions last longer you do
not have to worry about some of the legal and engineering fees that you pay the
process moves faster and so I wanted us to do
a move that direction but that's not where we end because I believe there are some
major challenges that are still out there not so much with county government but
with many of the outside agencies for example we have three separate transportation
reviews three separate environmental reviews I think that when you look at that
process that's somewhat redundant costly and things that we can eliminate But what
happens when you approach this everyone began to become somewhat parochial that is
to say to provide sort of turf protection and not want to give up certain things
and I think that's wrong we have to come back to the table and say we can reduce
some of the cost some of the complexity and redundancy in this process you that's
the one that's number one other so we're going to go down the line you didn't
mention obviously after the twenty ten census Monterey County is
a minority majority County and the diversity of the county is just incredible
anguish and I want undermanned especially for adults making sure that people that
want to learn English in the county that they do have access to those resources how
is that going to be physically implemented but first of all there is
a myth out there that some people especially those who speak Spanish do not want to
assimilate and do not want to speak English that's not the experience that I've
seen they are looking for help and support we have
a very strong language network of volunteers and supporters in the county there are
available to help people who want to speak English and the reason that is so is
because we believe strongly that as you speak English it provides. You were
a better ability to communicate better ability to get better jobs that it has is
our tax base it has been shown that for every one dollar that you invest in helping
those to learn English it produces four dollars or three and
a half dollars in return and so it's an investment for us that everyone is able to
communicate effectively so that they can be
a part of this local economy help their kids in schools in
a number of other things and so we want to push that forward but this idea notion
that people do not want to learn English in their preferred is simply speak their
native language is not borne out by the long waiting lists of people who are simply
in line trying to get into these courses through our volunteer network and through
the support of some of the organization that we've supported We want to reduce or
eliminate in time many of those waiting lists and get that productivity that I
think comes with people who are speaking this in doing so in
a way that makes it very productive for the entire Joe let me just start going back
on that just gave an example recently we did promote their English classes as
a Second Language on our counties faddish land which radio show and the classes
were automatic and felt they really had to turn back
a few people that could have been taking the classes that all Christan or so that's
just one example of what's going on out there third initiative the partnership for
educational achievement basically to make sure to help expand educational
opportunities for all students among our county especially those that are under
performing and expanding obviously excel beyond the bell to all middle schools in
the county that's number three right yes if you look at the county we have one
hundred fifty thousand students
a very law school system and if you look at all indicators the Mogami County Public
School System for
a lot system virtually our performs any one in the entire country it means that we
have done a very good job for most students in our system unfortunately. There are
a number of students that are on
a performance and there is an achievement gap that we need to close and how do you
do that but we have to work much more corroborative with our school system to be
a better partnership there are things that we are doing now to help the system but
I think that we can do more and that is by providing the programs and services that
reduces the conflict and the challenges that many of the school system have
a student who are not able to perform students who are struggling at home students
who have challenges in their communities and
a variety of areas simply are not well for paired to come to school and to gauge in
a rigorous competitive kind of process so we want to reduce that much of that
stress so excel beyond the bell provide some relief after school enrichment
programs for kids are not coming home to into homes and get in trouble between four
and seven in the evening when there are no parents there they provide some Richmond
program so they can get engaged in out the medics and cook in
a variety of other skills we have the model that is out there that I think works
very well we have
a kinetic cluster model of the looks at some of the family problems and pressures
we have
a variety of programs and services that are there what we need to do is to enhance
those programs and expand them in such
a way that we can get to more of those milk kids middle school kids and the program
the knish of the live advances that we will try to fund we're period of time
a methodology so that we can reduce the long waiting lists for these very popular
programs that in my opinion will help reduce that it Chiba gap that we see in our
system and I say this to you know effects that reckoning for excel beyond about
they provide
a safety preparation for students I'm not sure that think there are some of that in
there and there are
a number of other programs they provide in there as well but it's very enriching to
students in terms of their ability to learn throughout the process and some during
the summer months as well and that reduces that gap that I've talked about so there
are number of things that. To enrich the students both in terms of consuming their
time with wholesome activities in the afternoon as well as help and there was some
of the rigor was challenged to him in terms of academic performance All right we're
going to take
a short break and when we come back we're going to talk about that one budget that
you're getting ready to submit on March fifteenth to county council Don't go away
we'll be right back with Margaret county executive like like. If you're.
Counting on one one I guess. If you ever have
a you'll be glad you're in Montgomery County thanks to the ambulance transport law
the county has more money to cut response times by new ambulances and fire engines
and hire more paramedics and firefighters in an emergency don't ever hesitate to
call nine one one if you live in Montgomery County you will never get
a bill or pay
a dime Hopefully you'll never need to call Montgomery County Fire and Rescue But if
you do we're there for you so the new here but I've noticed
a trend my human does this funny thing where she goes around and gets all my toys
and then she hides them in the basket by the door you know but it's always the same
basket and it's in the same place and then she acts so surprised when I find them
but you know she's put them in the same basket again it's like oh this is where you
put the last time you were the worst I can go see. Are
you sure they can recycle this clamshell they don't bother me with
a very well it's hard to make a new start maybe I'll be of my carpet and
a big for me and I get to leave the White House. Now you can recycle more plastics
in the gummy County including number one P.T.
Plastics such as clamshells deli containers trays lids domes and cuffs where the
information on recycling contact them
a dummy County Maryland division of solid waste services that re one one The wait
is over recycle more plastics today.
There's
a reason why every law enforcement forcing the best reading in traffic safety laws
and preventing killer but that's dream Gretchen's be alert be street smart.
You're. Welcome back to the very last segment
of wanna wanna with Montgomery County like I'm more of
a Julie thank you for joining us and we were talking about the state of the county
address for those of you who missed the speech let us tell you that it is actually
a P.D.F. Format on the county's Web site and also you can watch the video so do
a log on to Montgomery County and dug up so that you can get the state of the
county address from the county executive. Transition into the budget you've been
working on it for the last few months Amien Budget been working on me. That's
a good way to put it and it's good you say you're still happy even though you're
dealing with this this budget that is they're working on you. What are the
expectations that we know we spoke and about about it before but there are other
factors involved perhaps some paying. Craze for county employees and union
employees sequestration from the federal government so the challenges have evolved
since we first spoke about it let's look at the broader picture first on one hand
we have the federal government engaged in the continuation of the budget challenges
that provides
a level of uncertainty and potentially very drastic budget because now this comes
at
a time when we are now beginning to emerge from the challenges of the national recession
and recovery County and out there we've taken some very very tough but correct
decisions over the last few years and so it's an irony that we have these sort of
conflict in things that are happening but when you look at the budget today the
budget that I had basically followed the following approach that is to make modest
adjustments as we come out of the recession and I go too far there's one area in
which we are looking very seriously and terms of negotiations that we are making
somewhat of increase and I think people need to understand that the headlines have
been proper about like thirteen percent increase No that's not one year it's
thirteen percent over
a couple of years so Secondly you have to keep in mind that we eliminated the
basically put pay scale that calls for the normal step increases for seniority that
has been simply reinstated in and will provide in an annual basis at least for F Y
fourteen about
a two point nine percent COLA cost of living adjustment and why is that the case
first of all. If you look at what we've done in the last few years for four years
we have not provided cost of living adjustment for employees we eliminated the step
or the salary scales are provided for longevity we increased their cost for health
care and retirement benefit we eliminated ten percent of the entire workforce so
they're working longer and hearted and so forth as
a result of that all of those things over a period of time places us in
a very very difficult position in terms of our counting bodies compared to others
in the area so currently as you go through the collective bargain process you will
see for example that the school system provided raises for their employees which we
had nothing to do with Prince George's County through their police and I think
their fire personnel got raises that for one year cumulative going back to probably
about as high as twelve percent right now the state of Maryland is providing
basically about
a six percent increase if you include the seniority or the step of the merit
increases accordingly they've got a three percent increase plus
a step or merit increase so when you look at the collective bargaining process I
don't think that there was any way that the county could have prevailed on the law
provide in less than what we provided the options were much higher there are some
legal opinions out there there were challenged what I've done in the past that is
to walk away from collective bargain process we were lost in my opinion arbitrated
decision and therefore I think we would have been paying two or three times more
than what we what we are doing now so you have to look at that in that context and
watch you do a fair and objective basis I think that what we provided is really
a very sound basis for the city now regarding this pay raises and here is what Phil
Anderson council member has to say and I want to quote this he says it's not
sustainable and would create over forty million dollars in the next two years that
would compete with important services Well that's the obvious they're always in it
and if you see that you may compete with important provide services. Add in
a salary increase for employees who deliver those services so that's sort of
ridiculous to make that kind of statement Secondly if you look at the options that
follow his advice probably paying two or three times more than we have on the table
thirdly I think that he's failed to look at any advanced in his arguments the very
tough decisions that I've made
a decision that I've been on President and that is for County Executive to
literally walk away in
a legal battle to take its own unions to court and not respond to an arbitrator
decision I think that demonstrates very carefully that we've managed to budget very
well we had some very difficult challenges that relates to collective bargain there
are many times when the people in the labor unions have been fighting me about all
of this demonstrations at my house at my office really outraged about the decision
that we made there was the right decision and we followed his advice and go through
this and did less than that and go through the arbitrated process end up in court
my opinion is that we would be paying three to four times more than what we've
provided so I think you need to look at that and evaluate what he's saying rather
than to respond to this in
a way without the kind of substance that I think this analysis should provide And
by the way as I've seen that he is the only person listen elective office around
here have advocated those kinds of positions no one else that I know of so there's
just
a deaf because I think they're looking at it much fairer. Let's let's circle back
to the federal sequestration yourself executive Baker from Prince George's County
an executive order from Howard County urged Congress to act immediately the list of
the end pact in this region would it's enormous but specifically from Montgomery
County what it would see immediately Well first of all we have forty seven thousand
federal employees McGovern county and if they are forced to take unpaid leave they
could rise to high as twenty days per year each day in Montgomery County in terms
of its impact on our tax revenue the income tax revenues will cost my government
county about a half a million dollars
a day so potentially that's ten million dollars to county government right there
but there's
a ripple effect of all the programs and services from housing school there over the
period of time you would see
a huge downturn there would have effect our economy not just federal employees and
people who work for federal contractors but from restaurant owners car runners
hotel motels you name it all would be adversely affected all of it does not start
on general March the first but some of it has already started in there will
continue to build up will have
a devastating impact among them because we have just
a few seconds left of the show very briefly control recently Lieutenant Governor
Anthony Brown was here in the county it was
a public forum just for county residents to talk about the measures that are taking
up in Annapolis and I would say there was
a lot of discontent with what's going on in Annapolis from an army County residents
against it well I think that people need to recognize we're talking we're not
talking about gun control we're talking about gun registration which is far
different I served in the military sort of than the infantry I know the use of
weapons and I understand that and I fully support the Second Amendment but in my
opinion to have an unlimited ability to go out inversely buy any kind of assault
weapon that you want. Did rounds that basically rounds not necessarily for hunting
and target shooting but literally to maim and kill to me is unacceptable Mr Leggett
thank you for joining us again today will see you next month and reminding you for
any information regarding Montgomery County always visit our website on our my
county Indy dot gov. And thank you for watching.